It is never too early to start prepping for college by engaging in some extra-curricular activities that will help you to show a college admissions team who you are and what you believe in.

Every high school student in the country knows the word “extra-curricular” – it is a word that strikes fear into the heart of many. While extra-curricular activities may seem like a fun way to kill some time after school, for many students they are much more than that. They are a gold star on a college application – something that has real implications for the state of their future. But just how important are extra-curricular activities for your college application and are some better than others?

What Kind of Extra-Curricular Activities Are There?

When it comes to extra-curricular activities, the options are endless – but what really counts as an extra-curricular? Technically, it is an unpaid activity that doesn’t pertain to ordinary school classes. The activity itself may occur either in or out of school, though elective classes don’t count. For example, theater class is an elective because it takes place during school hours and it is an actual class – theater club is an extra-curricular if it takes place outside school hours and it isn’t technically a class. Volunteer work can also qualify as an extra-curricular activity. Here are some examples of extra-curricular activities you might consider joining:

Special interest clubs (clubs for like-minded students, often focused around a particular subject, activity, or interest)

School service clubs (clubs where students engage in projects to improve the school)

Scholarship clubs (clubs that exist primarily for prestige, though they may also offer scholarship awards)

Community volunteering clubs (clubs where students engage in projects to give back

Students with disabilities may require the assistance of a service dog, but how might the presence of a dog in the classroom affect other students? Could it be too distracting?

There is a special bond between children and their dogs but, for some children, a dog is more than just a best friend – he is an assistant for everyday tasks. Children with certain diseases and disabilities sometimes need the help of a service dog just to get through their day. The service dog accompanies them everywhere they go – even to school. While a service dog may be a necessity for the student he serves, it is possible the he could become a distraction for other students. But where do you draw the line?

In today’s modern society, distractions are everywhere. Cell phones and tablets are being given to younger and younger children as society as a whole becomes progressively more reliant on technology. But what determines whether something is too distracting? When it comes to service dogs, there are some legitimate concerns regarding allergies and fears that some students may have, but are these concerns more legitimate than the student’s need for the service dog? Keep reading to learn more about this issue.

What Exactly Do Service Dogs Do?

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the definition of service animal is, “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability”. Some of the tasks a service dog can perform might include pulling a wheelchair, picking up dropped items, reminding someone to take their medications, providing emotional

Homework has become deeply ingrained in the U.S. educational system, but how much homework is too much and how can you create a healthy environment for your child to do schoolwork at home?

Doing homework is an unavoidable part of being a student but some children have more trouble than others doing school work on their own at home. As a parent, it is your job to get your child the help he or she needs to learn and to thrive academically – you should also think about ways to create a healthy environment for doing homework at home. Keep reading to learn more about minimizing distractions and cultivating a good homework environment for your child.

The History of Homework

Homework has become a tradition in academic environments, but where does this tradition come from? The concept of extra schoolwork that must be completed at home has become engrained in U.S. academic culture and some believe that it doesn’t provide much value for students. The use of homework has changed as the course of education in history has changed. During the late 19th century, education for primary grades was irregular and most classrooms contained students of different ages. Primary students were rarely assigned homework and the older students got, the more likely they were to leave school for the work force. In the early 20th century, there was a rise in progressive education as well as an anti-homework movement. When the Cold War came around, however, homework once more rose its ugly head as America became obsessed about competing with the Russians. In the years since, the pro-homework movement gained strength but it is once more starting to come into question.

For some students, attending college immediately after high school is not the right choice. Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of this decision and to learn about some alternative options.

For many high school seniors, going to college after graduation is a given. But going to college immediately after high school is not the right choice for everyone. Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons for attending college right after high school and to learn about some alternative options that may be available to you.

Reasons to Go to College After High School

While transitioning into college immediately after high school may not be the right choice for everyone, there certainly are some significant benefits you need to consider. Here are some things you should think about when deciding whether to take a year off before college:

Some studies have shown that many students who wait instead of going to college immediately after high school never end up going at all. In you take a job right after high school you may find yourself putting it off year after year and it could hurt you in the long run.

According to a Huffington Post report, those who choose not to go to college at all make as much as $800,000 less than college graduates over the course of their lifetime. Even if you only take a year off, you could be cutting into your lifetime salary.

If you do not go to college right after high school you could miss out on some life-changing experiences that can shape who you are and what you believe in. The habits and opinions you form as a young adult will stay with you for

Poor testing performance is not always an indication of low intelligence. If your child struggles with testing, take the time to identify his individual challenges then work with his teacher to practice and improve his skills.

When you ask your child about what he learned in school, he can probably tell you what subject he studied and rattle off some relevant facts. But when he brings home a test on the subject, you don’t see an “A” marked in red at the top of the page. Many parents do not realize that testing is not necessarily an accurate measure of your child’s intelligence, or even of his ability to understand certain subject matter. Testing is a skill and some children simply struggle more than others.

If your child seems perfectly intelligent and hardworking but still struggles when it comes to testing, you shouldn’t just brush it off. Testing is an important part of most school curriculums so it will benefit your child to take action sooner than later if he struggles with testing. Keep reading to learn more about why your child might be struggling and what you can do to help him.

Does Your Child Struggle with Testing in School?

Your child may be bright, or even gifted but he could still be struggling in school – especially when it comes to testing. It is very common for intelligent students to test poorly but, unfortunately, they are evaluated more on their test results than on their actual intelligence. The truth of the matter is that some children are simply better at testing than others – it is not always an accurate measure of intelligence or of the student’s understanding of the material. But what factors influence your

Starting school can be a scary and overwhelming situation for any child, but children with autism experience unique challenges. Keep reading to learn what those challenges may be and to receive some tips for dealing with them appropriately.